


Contractual Agreement

by Ashers



Category: Suits (US TV)
Genre: Angst, Bottom Mike Ross, Dom/sub, M/M, Past Rape/Non-con, Prostitution, Safewords, Top Harvey Specter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:48:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23879425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashers/pseuds/Ashers
Summary: A case brings up secrets from Mike’s past that he would rather keep hidden. As he is forced to reveal his past, his relationship with Harvey starts to veer into uncharted territory.
Relationships: Mike Ross/Harvey Specter
Comments: 12
Kudos: 131





	1. Chapter 1

Mike is exhausted. He’s been working 12-15 hour days for three weeks straight. The case was complicated and seemed like it would drag on for months. But, they finally won. He wants nothing more than to sleep for days. Sitting at his desk, he leans back in his chair, tilts his head back, and closes his eyes. Just for a few moments. He’s drifting a bit when the sudden sound of a stack of papers dropping onto his desk startles him from his moment of respite. He opens his eyes to see a thick file folder sitting on his desk and Harvey looming over him. 

“No time for a break. We have a new case.” Harvey says. 

His tone is firm, but Mike can tell from the look in his eyes that he feels bad for having to interrupt Mike’s moment of peace. Ever since Mike’s Grammy died Harvey has been a little softer around the edges with him. He doesn’t go so far as to cut him slack, but his words have a bit less bite than usual. It’s only been a couple months, so Mike’s sure that will wear off with time and Harvey will return to his normal, acerbic self. 

Mike sighs, rubs his eyes and picks up the file. 

“Okay, what do you need me to do?” he asks as he opens the file, trying to clear the daze from his head and focus on the paperwork. His eyes fall on the client name and his brain shudders to a stop. 

“Black Label is being sued by a former employee for breach of contract. I need you to review the contracts and start looking into current and former employees that left within the last five years. The files are being sent over this afternoon. We need to know if there is anyone that is going to support these claims in court.”

Mike nods, his head is spinning and he’s trying to find words. 

“I didn’t know Black Label was a client,” Mike finally says. 

“We don’t usually have much outside of normal operations for them and they’ve been another partner’s client, they got transferred to me after he left,” Havey pauses and considers Mike for a moment, “You don’t have a problem with working this case, do you?”

“No,” Mike says quickly, “No, of course not.”

“Good, have a summary on my desk by tomorrow morning. I’m meeting with their CEO and VP tomorrow afternoon,” he walks away without waiting for a response. 

Mike stares at the folder in his hands and tries to decide what he should do next. It’s mid-morning, maybe he can take an early lunch, clear his head before the files arrive. He can’t imagine looking at them given the state he’s in. He’s going to have to tell Harvey. He’s going to have to tell Harvey by tomorrow morning. The thought makes his palms sweat and his heart beat faster. 

He grabs his coat and leaves his desk. He’s going to take a long lunch. If Harvey comes looking for him, he’ll deal with it later. He just needs some time. 

*****

When he gets back to his desk that afternoon, there are five banker boxes stacked on the floor around his desk. He stares at them and for just a moment considers leaving and never coming back. 

Instead of running away, he pulls out his chair, sits down, and starts to go through the employee files. He’s searching for one in particular. When he finds it, he looks around him, paranoid that someone will see. He opens the file and in bold letters across the first page reads “Employee File - Michael Ross.” 

It’s not that he’s ashamed. Not really. It’s been legal across the country for ten years now. When he got into it, it had been legal for five. There was still a bit of a stigma at the time, still is one. But, it’s become more accepted as a valid career, especially for those companies that service the privileged. It’s just that he never thought he’d have an actual career. One that didn’t involve cheating or selling himself. So now that he’s faced with this information coming out, it makes him feel like even more of a fraud than he already is. So, okay, maybe he is ashamed. Because not only will Harvey know, but he’ll have access to his contract. The contracts are very, very detailed. 

He reads over his file. It’s not like he doesn’t know what’s in it. He just feels the need to look it over, make sure there isn’t anything in there that was added after he left. He glances over his contract, it’s the same as he remembers. He flips through the other papers, hiring documents, tax forms, nothing unusual. Then he gets to the last page and there’s a letter. It’s a formal complaint against a client. He very clearly remembers writing the complaint. He also very clearly remembers that after he submitted it to HR, Veronica called him into her office and convinced him to retract his complaint, which he did. He assumed she had destroyed it after their conversation. Actually, he remembers watching her shred it. But, here it is, in his file. There’s no indication of the retraction, or any other information other than a copy of the letter. With a sinking feeling, he realizes that this letter means if this goes to court, he’s going to have to testify. And not just testify as an employee, but also as a victim. Which means he’s going to have to explain in detail the incident that brought him to write that letter. He remembers it with complete clarity, of course. 

He tries to clear his mind and just treat this like any other case. He puts his file back in the box and starts to review the others. There aren’t any other complaints in the employee files. The contracts are all standard, nothing in particular that would impact the case. The complainant’s employee file does have multiple complaints, including the final complaint that indicates the intention to pursue legal action. He wonders if Veronica had the same conversation with this employee. If she tried to strong arm him into retracting his complaints. He must have more integrity than Mike. Must have been in a situation that didn’t mean he had no other options. 

He starts writing up his summary with a sense of detachment. He refers to himself by name and recommends an interview. He tries to think of it from the perspective of his client’s defense and it makes him want to throw up. He rushes through the brief, pretty sure that Harvey isn’t going to be pleased with the quality of it. But, he’ll understand why, unfortunately. 

Mike finishes it up and shuts off his computer in a rush. He needs to go home and drink all the alcohol in his apartment. He’s pretty sure that’s a solid plan. 

*****

It was a terrible plan. He’s at his desk at 7:30am with a pounding headache, trying to choke down as much coffee as he can before he has to go to Harvey’s office. He’s dreading it in a way he can’t even put into words. He grabs the folder with the summary and his own Black Label file, and tries to breathe deeply in an attempt to calm his nerves. He usually sends Harvey these things via email and then they meet, but he can’t let Havey read this alone. He needs to tell him in person. He doesn’t even know why he bothered with completing the summary. He knows he’ll be taken off the case as soon as Harvey knows. It’s pretty much the definition of conflict of interest. He won’t be able to stay on the case and Harvey won’t be able to use any of his work. But, it made him feel better about the situation to write it out formally, as if it had happened to someone else. 

He arrives at Harvey’s office and Donna gives him a smile. He hesitates before he enters, but only for a second. The door is open, but he shuts it behind him as soon as he enters. Harvey looks up and frowns. 

“You look terrible,” Harvey says. 

“Rough night,” Mike says, he voice rough and scratchy. 

“I can see that,” Harvey responds, clearly not impressed. “Is that the Black Label summary?”

“Yea...yea, it is,” Mike says, not approaching the desk and keeping the file close to his chest. 

“And...are you going to give it to me or are you going to continue to stand there like an idiot?”

Mike doesn’t answer. He’s suddenly hit with a wave of complete detachment from the situation, like he’s floating outside of his body. 

“Mike,” Harvey snaps, “What the hell is wrong with you?” he asks sternly. 

Mike jerks, startled back into focus. 

“Harvey...can we, um...can we just sit over here?,” he gestures to the couch. He wants to get out of Donna’s line of sight and also make this a little less formal than an employee standing in front of his boss’s desk. 

Harvey gives him a long, searching look, but walks over and sits in the chair next to the couch without comment. Mike follows him and settles onto the couch, hunches forward with his forearms resting on his knees. 

“Look, Harvey, I don’t really know how to say this, but I can’t work on this case. I have a conflict.”

Harvey laughs. “Mike, don’t look so concerned, half the men in this firm have been a Black Label client at some point. Unless you’ve violated an escort contract, you’re staying on the case.”

“That’s not it,” Mike says, “I was never a client.” He emphasizes the word client and just stares at Havey, waiting for him to catch on, hoping he doesn’t have to say the words. 

Harvey looks confused, obviously waiting for him to continue. When he doesn’t, Harvey’s features smooth over a bit and he seems to be chasing an idea and following it to conclusion. Mike sees it on his face once he realizes that there’s only one other conflict that Mike would be reluctant to vocalize. 

“You were an escort,” Harvey says. 

Mike nods. “Yea, the LSAT scam wasn’t exactly a regular and highly lucrative endeavor,” he says jokingly. “A friend of a friend was an escort and recommended it to me when I was talking about Gram’s medical care and the cost of the assisted living facility. At first, I didn’t really consider it. But, there were some issues with Gram’s care. The place she was in was kind of a shit hole. I really wanted to get her out of there, but the only place I could find that had the space was twice the cost. So, I applied, went through a series of incredibly invasive interviews, and then that was that.”

“How long did you work for them,” Harvey asks. 

“Two years.”

“Why did you stop?”

Mike stares at Harvey and thinks about how to answer that, it’s not an easy question. The truth is pretty ugly and also threatens Harvey’s case. 

“Harvey,” Mike sighs, “Before I answer that, you need to know that the answer isn’t something you’re going to want to hear. Both as my friend and as Black Label’s lawyer on this case.”

“Tell me,” Harvey says sternly, no hesitation. 

“There was a client,” Mike says, “He was...well, he wasn’t exactly compliant with my contract. I complained to HR. Veronica strong armed me into retracting the complaint. I kept seeing the client until I just...couldn’t...I just couldn’t do it anymore. Then I quit. The complaint’s in my file they sent over. I don’t know how it ended up there in the end.”

He hands the file over and Harvey takes it but doesn’t move to open it.

“That doesn’t sound like the whole story,” Harvey says. 

“Well, if you want the whole story you need to get me about five drinks deep,” Mike says with a smirk. 

“Mike...I have a client meeting in six hours,” Harvey says gently, with obvious reluctance. 

Mike nods. “Yea,” he says, leaning back and rubbing his eyes. “Yea, I know, I know.”

“I’m going to go tell Donna to cancel all my other appointments and we’re going to go to your apartment and talk. Does that sound okay?”

Mike stares out the window, thinks about doing this here in Harvey’s office versus being in his apartment, but having Harvey in his space. He’s not sure if the intimacy of it will make it worse or better. 

“Okay,” he says finally, “That works.” He tries to smile, but he knows it doesn’t reach his eyes. 

“Go ahead and go home now. I’m going to talk to Donna and then read this,” he holds up the files. “Once I’m done, I’ll come over. Okay?”

“Yea, okay Harvey,” Mike replies. He feels fragile, hearing Harvey speak to him in that soft, calm voice, like he’s afraid Mike might shatter into pieces if he doesn’t handle him with care. It’s too close to the truth and he hates that. Hates that Harvey is seeing him this way. Hates that it’s only going to get worse once Harvey hears the whole story. 

He walks out of the office and heads straight for the elevators. He tries not to think too much about what’s going to happen next, just tries to keep his head in the moment. He’s not very successful. 

*****

He’s sitting on his couch, quietly spiraling into a panic when there’s a knock on his door. He takes a deep breath, stands up and opens the door. Harvey is standing there, looking so perfect and put together. He stands aside so Harvey can enter and Mike’s struck by how out of place Harvey seems. How he doesn’t fit into Mike’s untidy, sad little world. Mike has a moment of regret that he ever dragged Harvey into this to begin with, both the fraud and the current situation. 

“Have a seat,” he gestures to the couch and they both sit down. 

“Did you read it?” Mike asks, already knowing the answer, but asking anyway. 

“Yes, I read it,” Harvey replies. 

“Okay, so...how do you want to do this?”

“Mike, just relax. This isn’t a deposition. Why don’t you just tell me what happened?”

Mike hesitates. “I...um….I think actually it would be better if you asked questions. I just...I can’t…,” he stops and doesn’t finish his thought. 

“Sure, that’s fine.” Harvey says. “How many clients did you have during the two years you were employed with Black Label?”

“Forty two. Only twenty of them were regulars.”

“And, from what I read, you were a Red List escort.”

“Yes.”

“How many complaints did you file during the time you were employed?”

“Just the one.”

“Why did you retract the complaint?” Harvey asks. 

“Veronica threatened to pull me off the gold clients if I didn’t retract. I couldn’t pay Gram’s bills without those clients.”

“What are gold clients?”

“They’re the ones that have unique requests, usually things most escorts have as a hard limit in their contracts. I, um...I didn’t have many hard limits, so I had more gold clients than most.”

“I read your contract,” Harvey says, his voice soft and smooth. He seems hesitant, but continues. “Why did you have so few hard limits?”

Mike laughs. “Mostly because I had no idea what I was doing when I completed the contract. And I needed the money. They told me the fewer hard limits, the higher the paycheck. I didn’t really think past that.”

“Impulsive as always,” Harvey says with a light tone. 

“Yea, I should probably work on that,” Mike says with a smirk. “I could have changed the contract at any time, but the money was really good and I just...didn’t.”

“Your complaint says the client violated one of your hard limits. Can you tell me about it?” 

“Yea, uh, I had rape play as a hard limit. I don’t know why I drew a line at that, it’s just, I guess I couldn’t see myself participating in that. This one client, he was pretty rough, enjoyed humiliation. I didn’t have that as a limit, but it got a bit...extreme sometimes. One night when I was at his place he drugged my water. I don’t know what it was, but it made me confused, weak...scared. Which ended up being what he wanted, because...I mean,” Mike coughs and tries to not choke on the words, “I guess it wasn't entirely consensual, in the end. I could think enough to use my safeword, but he just didn’t stop. So, afterwards, I filed the complaint.”

“Did you stop seeing him after that?” Harvey asks. 

“Uh...no, I saw him a couple more times...then I quit.”

“Christ, Mike, do you not have any sense of self preservation?”

“Don’t get like that with me, Havey. I needed the money. There weren’t exactly a lot of options.”

Harvey gives him a hard look, but doesn’t comment further. 

“Why’d you end of quitting?” Havey finally asks. 

“He offered me three times the usual amount to tie me up and blindfold me. That wasn’t a hard limit for me, but I guess he figured I was a little untrusting after the last incident. I should have turned him down, but it was a lot of money. I thought maybe if I did that, then maybe I could stop for a while, try to find something else. He...uh...he invited someone else, didn’t tell me about it, I didn’t know until I felt someone touch me. I had in my contract that I had prior approval for sessions having anyone other than the client present. They were...rough...I actually passed out at one point, and I don’t remember all of it…” 

Mike stops talking, not wanting to go into any more detail. He feels exposed and frankly kind of stupid. With Harvey sitting there, looking exactly like the kind of high rolling clients he had, a sense of overwhelming submissiveness washes over him. He just wants Harvey to tell him what to do so he doesn’t have to make any more decisions. He keeps his eyes down and stays silent. In the back of his mind, he wonders if his uncharacteristic behavior is freaking Havey out. Not that he’d show it if it was.

“I’m taking you off the case.”

“Okay.”

“I’m also giving you the week off. I don’t want you around the office when the Black Label executives are in.”

“Okay.”

“Jessica is going to need to know about this. Otherwise, I’ll keep it under wraps as best I can.”

“Okay.”

“You may have to testify.”

“Yea, okay, I figured.”

“Have you talked to anyone at Black Label since you resigned?”

“No...not really, I mean...no employees…”

“Any clients?”

Mike is quiet. He keeps his head down and thinks about the repercussions of telling the truth versus lying and having it come out later. He figures going all in is probably the better choice at the moment. 

“Yea, there’s one client I kept in touch with.”

“Mike, look at me.”

Mike lifts his head up and meet’s Havey’s eyes. Harvey looks a mixture of worried and angry and Mike can’t decipher which emotion is meant for him. 

“Did you keep him as an independent client?” Havey asks. 

“No, I’m aware of the heat I could get for that. He isn’t a client.”

Havey catches the present tense. “Then what is he?”

Mike sighs, “He’s a good Dom. Sometimes I need to get out of my own head and be put down. He’s good at it and we’re compatible. He doesn’t pay me.”

“When was the last time you saw him?” Harvey’s tone is harsh and Mike has a fleeting thought that there’s a tinge of jealousy in his voice. He tries to dismiss the thought as wishful thinking, there’s no way. 

“Is that strictly relevant to the case?” Mike asks, starting to get some of his armor and his attitude back. 

Harvey just stares him down, not saying anything. 

Mike flops himself back on the couch and covers his eyes with his hands. “Last week...I saw him last week. It’s not that often, just a few times a year. Do you want details? If you’re that interested, I’m sure he’d let you watch?” Mike says it flippantly and knows before he finishes the words that it’s the wrong thing to say. 

Harvey stands up and turns around, starts pacing next to the couch with a grim look on his face. Mike figures his submissive with an attitude routine wouldn’t play well with Harvey as his Dom. But that’s probably not something he’ll ever get to find out first hand. 

Harvey abruptly stops his pacing and looks at Mike. “You stop seeing him. Now. No contact, no phone calls, no texting, nothing. Understood.” It’s clear from his tone that this is not up for debate. 

Mike nods, then realizes Harvey probably wants words from him. “Yea...Yes, okay, no contact, got it.”

“Good. I’m going back to the office.” Harvey hesitates for a few seconds, then says, “Come to my place at 9pm, I’ll order in.” Then he walks out of the apartment and leaves Mike feeling a bit adrift. 

*****

It’s 9pm sharp and MIke is standing in front of Harvey’s door, trying to get his nerve up enough to knock. He doesn’t know why exactly he’s nervous now, the hard part is over, but he’s got anxiety building up that he only knows one way to release. He’s pretty sure he’s not going to get that release at Harvey’s. He knocks and waits. 

Harvey opens the door a few seconds later. He’s clad in a black t-shirt pulled tight against his chest and grey sweatpants. He’s barefoot and looks a bit loose limbed, like he has had a few. He smiles softly at Mike and ushers him in, walking down the corridor without looking back. 

There’s soft jazz playing over the speakers and a bottle of scotch on the counter. Harvey is pouring two glasses and hands one over to Mike when he walks up. 

“Thanks,” Mike says softly. 

Harvey gestures with his glass that they should move to the couch. They sit down with a foot of space between them, silent for minutes, just sipping whiskey and listening to the music. 

Finally, Mike breaks the silence. “So, how did the meeting go?”

Harvey sighs, “Could have been better, could have been worse. They didn’t care for the fact that one of their former escorts was employed by the firm.”

“Did...uh...did Veronica remember me?”

“Yea, she remembered you. She didn’t say much, but I could tell she wasn’t pleased.”

“And Jessica?”

“Don’t worry about her. She’ll keep it professional.”

“Yea, well, that’s kind of what I’m worried about. Harvey, you know I can’t get fired. I have zero back up plan here.”

Harvey just looks at him, his eyes soft and his gaze a bit too penetrating. “Don’t worry about it Mike, I’ll take care of it.” He says it in just such a way that Mike knows he’s actually saying ‘I’ll take care of you’. It’s such an absurd thing to hear and at the same time, exactly what Mike wants. There’s no way Harvey meant it in the way Mike’s crazy mind is conjuring up. 

“Okay,” Mike says, “Okay...I trust you.” He means it with every fibre of his being. 

Harvey smiles at him, bright and open. There’s a buzz of the door and Harvey gets up. He returns with bags of what Mike presumes from the smell is Chinese food. They unpack it in silence, loading up their plates and going over to the dining table to eat. 

After a few bites and more sips of scotch, Mike feels his muscles loosen and his anxiety ease. He wonders how much of it is from the food and alcohol, and how much of it is from the comfort of feeling taken care of. 

“I’m pushing them to settle,” Harvey says, picking up on their previous conversation. “It’s in their best interest.”

“Would you be taking that stance if it wasn’t for me?,”Mike asks. 

Harvey swirls his scotch around in his glass, avoiding Mike’s eyes. “Probably not. It’s a large settlement and won’t make for good PR. If it wasn’t you, I’d probably take my chance that I could win this in court. Most escorts don’t have a past that would hold up well on the stand.”

Mike nods, “Think they’ll go for it?”

“I think it’ll take a bit of negotiation, but yea, they’ll go for it.”

“Can I go back to work then?”

“No, I don’t want you there while this case is active. Too much risk.”

“Okay,” Mike says, “It’s just...I mean...I don’t do so well being idle. Maybe you can give me some other cases, stuff I can do from home.”

“Sure, but don’t get used to it and wear a suit when you’re working. Just because you’re home, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look the part,” Harvey smirks at him and starts clearing the table. 

They go back to the couch, Mike not making any attempt to leave and Harvey not rushing him out. 

“So, were you ever a client?” Mike asks. 

Harvey smiles, loose and effortless. “No, but I know plenty of people in the firm who were. They’re walking around the office with a nervous twitch all day, at least that part has been entertaining.”

“Hmm, well, I was always glad I never had a client who was in our firm, that would have been pretty awkward.”

“There was a party once, though,” Mike continues, “One of those swanky bar associate parties. There was someone from another firm, Spellman, he wasn’t really a regular, but I saw him a couple times. He recognized me. We didn’t talk, but we saw each other and steered clear of each other all night. He was probably embarrassed...and I guess pretty confused since it was clear I was there as an attorney and not as an escort. He was one of the better ones, so I wasn’t worried...I never really thought it would matter, that I did that for a while. Just seemed like a way to make cash...I’m not ashamed exactly...but…” he sighs, “I guess I just never wanted you to know this about me...everyone else, it’s just,” he waves his hands in a dismissive way, “but you...I don’t want you to see me like that.”

“Mike, this doesn’t change anything. I don’t think any less of you.”

Mike nods and doesn’t say anything for a few minutes, realizing that he’s a bit drunk and should probably shut up and go home. 

“I should just go,” he stands up and sways for a moment before steadying himself. 

Harvey walks him to the door and they say good night. Mike catches a cab and spends the whole ride trying to keep his thoughts away from Harvey. When he gets back to his apartment, he falls into bed and falls asleep almost immediately.


	2. Chapter 2

He spends the couple weeks doing grunt work at home, summarizing briefs and generally working all day, only taking breaks for food and to use the bathroom. He barely leaves his apartment and each day feels his anxiety ratchet up a bit. When Harvey finally calls and tells him he wants to see him at the office at 7am the next morning, he feels such a swell of relief that he takes a moment to consider if maybe he needs to develop more of a social life. 

He shows up at Harvey’s office at 7am with a cup of coffee and a wide smile. 

“If you had held off for one more day, I may have resorted to something drastic,” he says, handing Harvey his coffee. 

“I’d hate to see what you consider drastic,” Harvey retorts, taking a sip of his coffee and handing Mike a stack of files. “We’ve got a new case. Get to work.” 

Mike leaves Harvey’s office, trying not to skip so he doesn’t look like a complete idiot. He bellows a good morning to Donna as she arrives at her desk and happily gets to work. 

He’s engrossed in the new case, deep into the files, so it doesn’t register right away that the other associates are having a rather loud conversation. He tends to ignore them most days, but the conversation has amped up to a level that he can’t ignore. 

“I know...I can’t believe they settled with that whore for $2 million. It’s just going to end up going up his nose anyway. They’re always trying to get more than they’re worth. Those high class whores always have such a sense of entitlement. The cheaper services are better, those sluts are desperate for anything.”

“Shut up Greg, you know you just go with the cheap ones cause you blow all your money on those bullshit suits and that apartment that has you living outside of your league” Steve chimes in, basically yelling across the room. 

“Just because I spend my money on expensive comforts doesn’t mean I have to settle for the cheap whores. What I’m saying is, a whore is a whore. All this bullshit and frills they put on at these high class services doesn’t mean shit. They all spread their legs the same.”

“Whatever, I myself prefer the high class escorts, they just seem a bit more...cultured.”

“Do you even hear yourself?!” Greg exclaims loudly, “Cultured...please...if they were worth anything more than a good fuck, they’d wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing. There’s nothing cultured about them. You’re wasting your money at those places.”

Steve turns to Mike, seeing they’ve got his attention. “Come on Mike, back me up here. Those high class whores are totally worth it, right? You seem like the type that wants a bit of conversation before you get your dick wet.”

Mike has a moment to think that it would probably be best if he just nodded, kept his mouth shut, and then went back to work. But that isn’t what happens. 

“First, they’re escorts, not whores, and second, the high class services are more likely to provide benefits, safety, and a thorough vetting process for their clients. So, if I were to partake, which I don’t, I would say that the ethical choice is to go with one of the pricier services. But I would imagine that neither of you assholes would give a shit about how an escort is treated, other than not wanting them to be too damaged before you get your money’s worth. I for one think that the settlement was not nearly enough and that if you continue this conversation any longer I’m going to file a complaint with HR and tell Harvey that you thought his settlement was bullshit and you have some thoughts about how he could have better handled the case. How does that sound?”

He grabs his files and storms out of the room without waiting for a response. He figures this will make the office gossip mill pretty quickly, but he can’t find it in him to care. He drops the files off with Donna and decides that he might as well take lunch, maybe cool off a bit. 

When he gets back to his desk, it’s quiet and he can feel Greg’s eyes on him. He puts on headphones and gets to work, trying to ignore the staring. It’s hours later when he feels a presence looming at his desk. He looks up and it’s Louis, arms crossed and a stern look on his face. 

“Come with me,” he says, walking away and not looking back. 

Mike follows him to his office, where he shuts the door and sits down at his desk. He motions for Mike to sit. 

“Greg tells me you threatened him,” he states, right to the point. 

“I wouldn’t call it a threat, more like a warning,” Mike says. 

“He tells me you threatened him because you were defending the honor of escorts everywhere,” Louis says with a tone that indicates he finds the whole thing rather theatrical. 

“And if I was, that would be a problem?...” Mike asks, wondering where this is going. 

“Of course not,” Louis exclaims, “Greg’s an asshole. I just didn’t know you were an escort’s rights advocate. I only use higher end services, not Black Label of course, that would be a conflict of interest. But it’s so important these places are treating their employees well and providing them adequate benefits. I do some pro-bono work advocating on behalf of escorts for contract disputes, wrongful termination, workplace safety, it’s a passion of mine. I was wondering if you were interested in taking on any cases with me.” 

Mike sits there, a bit stunned and also excited at the prospect. He’s felt guilt hanging heavy on him since the settlement. He knows that if he had come forward, if he had pushed Harvey to take it to court, he might have made a difference, might have helped to ensure things like that didn’t happen again. But he was too scared of what the publicity would bring, that it would uncover other things he needed to stay hidden. He knows this is an opportunity to do some good. He ran in that circle for a while, though, and while it’s been pretty easy to stay away from anyone that might recognize him, this would be pretty risky. And, if he agreed, he’d need to tell Louis, if it came out any other way, he’d be pissed. 

“I don’t know, I have a lot on my plate right now...Harvey probably wouldn’t like it…” he trails off, knowing it’s a bit of a lame excuse and feeling like a complete coward. 

“Come on Mike, hearing Greg tell it, you have quite a passion for this. You could help do some good. I know we haven’t always been on the best of terms, but this is something I believe in. I think we could work well together on this.”

“Let me think about it,” Mike says finally. 

Louis smiles widely, “Sure, of course, let me know by the end of the week. I’ve got a new case and I’d love to get your mind on it.”

*****

Mike spends the next few days agonizing over what to do. His heart wants him to say yes, but his head is telling him that it’ll probably go nowhere good for him. He thinks about running it by Harvey, but decides against it, telling himself that it’s none of Harvey’s business what he does outside of work hours. 

It’s Friday at 7pm and he finds himself standing in Louis’ doorway, waiting for him to notice his presence, too unsure of his decision to speak up. 

Louis finally notices him, waves him in dismissively and keeps typing at his computer. Mike sits and waits. 

“Okay,” Louis says after several minutes, “you here to tell me you’ll join me in my pursuit of justice.”

Mike smiles, he appreciates Louis’ enthusiasm for this if nothing else. While they haven’t gotten along in the past, they’ve come to a bit of an understanding, and he knows that deep down, Louis is a kind man when it matters. 

“How about you and I get a drink and talk about it,” Mike says. 

Louis looks a little perplexed by the offer. Mike figures he’s not accustomed to social invites being the ogre of the firm. 

“Sure, of course,” he says brightly, gathering up his coat and briefcase. “Where shall we go?”

They end up at a bar nearby, not a place that anyone at the firm frequents much, a bit too low brow, but not seedy. Mike pays for the first round, with little protest of Louis other than a slightly confused and maybe concerned look. 

“So, did you want to talk about the case? I’m assuming it’s a yes on the pro bono work?,” Louis asks. 

“Sure,” Mike, “I mean yea...I want to talk about the case, but...I should tell you something before we go any further.”

“Okay, I’m all ears” Louis says, he seems to have caught on to Mike’s tone and leans in a bit, his voice quiet.

“Well...I’m not exactly some kind of escort advocate or whatever. I mean, I guess I could be, but I’m not really, or not in any active way. It’s more of an experience thing...you know...um,” he trails off and picks at the label of his beer bottle, suddenly feeling like this is a very bad idea. 

“Is this incoherent rambling supposed to mean something,” Louis asks. 

“No, well...yes. Just to say...I didn’t come from money, you know. And between school debt and Gram’s bills, it was a lot, so I took on a side gig a few years ago…” he trails off, hoping Louis will be quick on the uptake. 

“And your penniless past is relevant here because…” Louis doesn’t seem annoyed, just genuinely confused. 

Mike realizes that he’s going to have to say the words. 

“Because I was an escort, for a time, a while back...not now,” he finishes hurriedly.

Louis leans back, clearly surprised. “Which service?” 

“Blake Label,” Mike answers. 

Louis whistles softly, leaning back in his chair. “So, you weren’t on that case because of a conflict of interest.”

Mike nods, “Harvey and Jessica know.”

“I appreciate you telling me. It shows a lot of courage,” Louis says. It’s kind of a hokey thing to say, but Mike can tell that Louis means it, which makes him feel a little proud. 

“Thanks Louis,” Mike says, “I just thought you should know. If we do this, some things might come up. I might get recognized by some people I knew back then...and...well it wasn’t all sunshine and roses, you know. So, working on these cases, it may bring some things up for me. Just so you know…”

Louis looks like he wants to push for more, but he doesn’t. “Mike, if you feel uncomfortable or like you need to recuse yourself for any reason, just say the word. I won’t ask for more information unless it’s a matter of life or death. I want to work with you on this, but I won’t risk your well being. Understood?”

Mike nods and for some unfathomable reason feels his chest tightening up and his eyes start to well. It’s ridiculous, but it feels good to know that he has people that care about him, about this part of his life. 

Mike clears his throat and tries to not show that he’s turning into a mushy baby, “Thanks Louis.”

*****

Life returns to somewhat normal over the next several months. Mike works cases with Louis and it feels good, like he’s doing some good to make up for being a coward. He tells Harvey about his work with Louis and while Harvey doesn’t seem pleased, he just just says it can’t interfere with work and then doesn’t mention it again. 

Mike’s kept his word about not contacting his Dom. It hasn’t been easy, though, and he feels out of sorts and like he needs a release. Harvey gave him an order and he knows it’s in his best interest to follow it. But, the case is over, Black Label seems to be operating business as usual, and there’s no reason to think seeing his Dom at this point would cause any issues. Besides, if he doesn’t see him, then he might legitimately go crazy, or start smoking again, which Harvey would equally not appreciate. 

So, with all that in mind, he finds himself at Harvey’s office door late in the evening on Thursday, going through what he thinks is a pretty solid argument in his head. 

“What do you want, I’m prepping for court tomorrow, which you know. So this better be an emergency,” Harvey says coldly, without looking up from his computer. 

Mike’s argument flies out of his head and he decides maybe a slow retreat is best, this isn’t the right time. He should wait until Harvey’s riding high from a win. Maybe offer him a drink after his hearing tomorrow. 

“Nothing, just...uh, the Alderman case, all done, left the files with Louis. I’m heading out,” Mike says in a rush, slowly backing away from Harvey’s office. 

“Wait, don’t move,” Harvey says. Mike stops in his tracks and Harvey keeps typing for what seems like an hour, but is probably closer to five minutes. Mike doesn’t move the entire time. 

“Come here,” Harvey says, closing his laptop and finally looking at Mike. 

Mike walks over and stops about a foot from Harvey’s desk. “Sorry Harvey, it wasn’t actually that important, I can just…” he trails off and points his thumb in the direction of the door. 

“No, I want to know why you felt the need to interrupt me on a night you know I’m busy to update me on a case that has little to no importance, which is why I gave it to you in the first place,” Harvey says. 

Mike winces internally, not really the mood he’d hope to have for this conversation. 

“Harvey, it was stupid, really, just forget it.”

“No, you’re not getting off that easy. You stay here until you can give me an explanation that I’ll accept. If you can do that, you can go and we’ll forget this ever happened, if not, I’m putting you on grunt work for a month, hope you like being a personal assistant, Donna’s been telling me she needs a break.” Harvey says, his eyes showing that he is serious. 

Mike sighs heavily, he’s caught, at this point it’s the truth or suffer the consequences. He has a terrible poker face when it comes to Harvey, so he knows he’s not bullshitting his way out now. 

“Can I sit?” he asks. 

Harvey nods and gestures to the chair in front of his desk. 

“I know you said no contact, but I figured, you know, it’s been a few months. The whole thing with Black Label has died down. There doesn’t seem to be much reason to keep up the no contact thing. So, I guess, I was thinking about calling him…” Mike trails off. For some reason he feels weird about asking Harvey’s permission for this. He shouldn’t have to ask permission. Harvey isn’t in control of his life, maybe his work life, but not his life life. But all the same, he knows that he needs permission for this. And deep down he can admit that he wants Harvey’s permission, that part of wanting this right now, a rather big part, is knowing that Harvey will be the one to tell him to do it. But, he’ll keep that piece of the story to himself. 

“No,” Harvey says. He offers nothing else and opens up his laptop, promptly ignoring Mike as if they were not just having an extremely personal conversation. Mike waits a few minutes, thinking maybe he missed something. Time stretches on and the only sound is the clicking of Harvey’s keyboard. 

Finally Mike has had enough, “Is that all you’re going to say?”

“There’s nothing else to say. I said no contact. No.” Harvey says, not looking away from his computer. 

Mike takes a deep breath. “Okay...well, it turns out I don’t actually need your permission on this. There is no ongoing case. I’m doing this on my own private time and it’s not really any of your business, so I’m calling him.”

Mike stands up and starts to walk out of Harvey’s office. 

“Then why did you come here to ask my permission? If you don’t need it,” Harvey asks. 

Mike stops and turns. “Maybe…” he steels himself, in for a penny, in for a pound, “Maybe I wanted it.” 

“You don’t have my permission. I forbid it.” Harvey says, looking directly at Mike. “What you can do is go home, eat, shower, and go to bed. We can talk about this further after court tomorrow. Come by my place at 8pm. Dress casual.”

With that, Harvey turns back to his work and Mike stands there for a moment, trying to decide he wants to argue or obey. He settles on compliance and leaves the office. 

*****

Mike spends the entirety of Friday swinging from nerves to excitement. He can’t seem to focus on anything and gives up on work at around 5:30. When he gets home he spends at least an hour trying to figure out how to interpret ‘dress casual’. He ends up wearing jeans, a grey t-shirt, sneakers, and a black coat. He messes with his hair a bit until it looks tousled but not unkempt. He stares at himself in the mirror and thinks that he looks a bit younger dressed down and wonders if that’s what Havey wants. 

Maybe he’s reading too much into this. He could get to Harvey’s and just be treated to dinner and a stern talking to about self preservation and discretion. He has no reason to believe that Harvey is into him, not really. There have been looks and perhaps some innuendo, but he’s wondering if that’s just hopefulness on his part. Harvey could have anyone. And, if he does have Dom tendencies, he’s sure there are subs that are a better match. Mike’s never been what he would consider easy when it comes to submitting. He didn’t even admit to himself that he wanted it until after leaving Black Label. His arrangement with his current Dom is sporadic and casual, he’s pretty sure he’s just a stand in sub for when his Dom can’t find someone else. 

This is all spinning around in his head as he waits for Harvey to open the door. Harvey’s dressed in his work suit, tie perfectly in place, he looks the epitome of high class. Mike has the jarring sensation of feeling like he’s there for a client appointment. He wonders if Harvey did it on purpose, if telling him how to dress was a power move. With a client, he’d be sure of it, with Harvey, he’s not so sure. 

“Come in,” Harvey says, ushering Mike in with a hand on his lower back. 

They walk into the kitchen and Mike can see that the table is set and there’s an amazing smell in the air. He looks over to the stove and sees some steaming pans and realizes with a start that Harvey cooked. For him. 

“I didn’t know you cooked,” Mike says. 

“I’m full of surprises,” Harvey says, turning to the stove. “Pour yourself some wine.” Harvey gestures to an open bottle and two glasses on the counter. 

Mike busies himself pouring wine into the glasses and places one next to the stove for Harvey. 

“So...is this your way of telling me that you’re my Daddy now?” Mike says, wanting to take back the words as soon as he says them, but also just wanting to shake out whatever is happening as soon as possible. 

“This is my way of making you an offer,” Harvey says, “But we won’t talk about that until after dinner.”

Harvey finishes up cooking and serves them both. Mike braces himself for an awkward meal, but Harvey steers the conversation to work and colleagues. Mike starts to loosen up and finds himself laughing at Harvey’s stories and imitations of some of the more snotty associates. By the time they’re done, Mike feels more comfortable and less off his game. He figures that’s what Harvey wanted, but it feels good to let Harvey take control of wherever this is going. 

Harvey clears away the table and brings his laptop and sets it in front of Mike. It closed, so Mike isn’t sure what it’s there for just yet and worries that he’s going to spend his evening proofing briefs. 

“Mike, look at me,” Harvey says. 

Mike startles a little, not realizing that he’s just been staring at the laptop. He looks up and finds Harvey staring directly at him, his gaze piercing. 

“You can say no to this at any time. You’re right, I have no cause for preventing you from seeing him. And, if you decide not to do this, I can’t stop you from seeing him. But I also won’t give you permission.”

“What exactly are you saying Harvey,” Mike says, his voice trembling a little. 

“I’m saying that if there’s something you want from me, I want you to say it. And in case you’re wondering, my answer is yes, I want it. But I need to hear you say it before we move forward.”

Mike’s pretty sure there’s no way to misinterpret that. But, it leaves some room for him to wiggle out of this, which he appreciates and at the same time kind of hates Harvey for, because now it’s on him to vocalize it, which is not something he’s really been that great at. 

Mike clears his throat. “Okay, um...I was wondering if maybe…” he stops, getting the words out is harder than he thought and he hates himself for the cautious uncertainty in his voice. He tries again. He looks Harvey dead in the eye, tries to find courage buried under all the self doubt and says, “Harvey Specter, I was hoping that you would do me the honor of being my Dom.” Okay, so it came out as a bit of a jokey proposal, but it’ll have to do. 

Harvey smirks and answers, “Mike Ross, it would be my pleasure to have you as my Sub.”

Mike lets out a heavy breath and laughs. “Okay, can we move past the awkward formalities now?”

“Oh, no, I have many more awkward formalities to come. This was the easy part. Open the laptop”

Mike opens the laptop and there is a document on the screen that at first glance appears to be a contract. He starts to read it and realizes that it is a contract, between him and Harvey. It’s nothing like his contract with Black Label. It seems to be more like a partnership contract than an agreement of services. He’s just getting to the section of Harvey’s limits and preferences when he’s interrupted. 

“I want you to read it. I’m going to go work in my office, come get me when you’re done. You don’t have to complete your section yet. I want to talk before you do.” 

Harvey gets up and leaves the room, walking down the hallway to his office. Mike starts to read. He makes notes as he goes and mentally starts making a list of his limits and preferences. He and Harvey seem to be more compatible then he would have thought. When he’s done, he wanders down the hallway looking for Harvey’s office. He sees a doorway with a light and walks in. Harvey looks up at him and smiles what is perhaps the softest smile Harvey has ever directed at him. It takes his breath away for a moment. 

“All done,” he says softly. 

“Good,” Harvey gets up and they make their way back to the dining room table. 

“Tell me what you think” Harvey says. 

“It’s a sound contract. I have no objections to your limits and preferences. I agree with the six month trial period. I agree that either party can break the contract at any time with or without reason and that either party may initiate a scene. I see there is a clause that prohibits sceneing in the workplace. I agree with that, but I’m adding a clause that either party may select a location,” Mike pauses, “I figured we’d do this here, at your place, most of the time...I know my place isn’t much, but maybe we can scene there sometime, I just...if it’s just here...I don’t want it to feel like you’re a client. And...if I’m inferring your preferences correctly, you seem to be a member of a club…” Mike trails off. 

“Yes, to your place and the club...that’s not something I need” Harvey says. 

“But you listed it as a preference. You like showing off what’s yours,” Mike says. He shifts as he says it, quite aware that it’s turning him on, but not really willing to examine it just yet. 

“I assume you’d prefer to keep this private,” Harvey says. 

“Yea...I mean, I had it as a limit before...but with you…” Mike hesitates, “Maybe we wait until after the six month period to explore that.”

Harvey nods and they continue talking through the contract. They nail down the language, argue over semantics, and Mike almost forgets it isn’t work and is in fact a highly personal conversation that will hopefully lead to Havey’s dick up his ass after the ink is dry. 

“Okay, we’ve got the basic contract settled. What are your limits and preferences?”

“Um, well, hard limit on any drugs or alcohol during in a scene, no scat, no one else...I mean, I don’t want anyone else to touch me, no blindfolds, hard limit on…” he stops and takes a deep breath, “on rape play, no knives, no needles, no scarring. Don’t call me ‘boy’” Mike finishes. He thinks he’s covered all the things that would make him have a panic attack. 

“Good, write it down.”

Mike types it all out into the contract. 

“What about soft limits, anything you need to negotiate before we try it.”

“I like bondage, but don’t leave me alone if I’m tied up. Or, if you will, I need you to talk me through it, tell me how long, when you’ll be back, where you’re going. I’m okay with marks, just as long as they aren’t permanent. I could be okay with other people, eventually, as long as they can’t touch. I think I’d like you showing me off.”

“Good. Preferences?”

Mike pauses. He’s never really given preferences much thought. It was never really something anyone asked him. Never something that was part of the contract. 

“Uh...I don’t know, anything else really...I’ve been spanked, flogged, caned. There’s been some humiliation stuff that was okay I guess…” Mike trails off, suddenly aware that he can’t really say that he enjoyed that stuff. More like it was a release, a way to get out of his head. 

“Mike,” Harvey says softly, “Let’s try it from a different perspective. What do you want from me?’

Mike’s head spins a little. When stated that way, he’s not sure he knows where to start. He wants everything from Harvey. He wants to be his. He wants Harvey to want him, to desire him. He wants to be good for Harvey, to please him, to make him come undone. 

“I want,” Mike starts, “I want you to show me that I’m yours.” As soon as he says, he can’t stop the rest of it. “I want you to make me feel good, like I’m worthy of your attention, of your lust. I want to hear you tell me that I’m good, that I please you. I want you to use me. I want you to tell me what to do. I want to show off for you. I want you to punish me when I don’t please you. I want you to put me in my place and get me out of my own head. I want you to own me.”

“Good, that’s so good Mike, that’s what I want too. Now, write it down.”

Mike obeys and writes down everything he said and a bit more, outlining specific things he’d like, typing for what feels like forever. When he stops, he looks up to find Harvey staring at him. 

“You’re doing so well, Mike. Do you have a safeword picked out?”

“Yes,” Mike says, “Mango.”

“Good,” Harvey says, “Mine is Ruby. It’s in the contract, but I think it’s important to hear each other say it out loud.”

“If you’re content with the contract, print it out and we’ll sign it.”

Mike nods and prints out the document. Harvey goes to grab the documents from the printer and they both sign the contract. 

“So,” Mike says, “Now what?” He knows eagerness slips into his tone, but he can’t help it, all this talk has got him ready to go. 

“Now,” Harvey says, “You go home, get some sleep and I’ll see you at work on Monday. I want you to spend the week thinking about what you want, think about me, think about what you want me to do to you. You can touch yourself, but you can’t cum, and if you do want to touch yourself, you have to text me and ask for my permission before you do it. We’ll scene next Saturday. Got it.”

“Yes sir,” Mike says, testing out the ‘sir’ and seeing a pleased look cross Harvey’s face. 

“Good, now I’m calling you a cab.”


End file.
